2023-07-27 19:14:45
Since the beginning of the crisis that has agitated the police, the silence of Gérald Darmanin is surprising. Not a word from the Minister of the Interior on the police protest movement, born a week ago and linked to the imprisonment of one of their own in Marseille. Four officers have been indicted on suspicion of beating a 22-year-old young man during the riots following Nahel’s death. One of them, suspected of having shot the victim with an LBD, was remanded in custody. Not a word either on the controversial remarks of the boss of the national police. Frédéric Veaux has indeed come out of his reserve by showing his solidarity with the officials involved. In The Parisian, he felt that a police officer had no place in prison. Words that caused an outcry among the magistrates and in the political class.
For a week, many civil servants have put themselves in “code 562”, which means minimum service, even sick leave. And the sling would gain ground, according to the representatives of the trade unions, who will be received this Thursday evening place Beauvau. “If the Minister receives us, it is because the mobilization is starting to be felt on the statistics”, explains to 20 Minutes Linda Kebbab, national secretary of the SGP Police Unit union.
The trade unionist says she does not expect “much” from the meeting with Gérald Darmanin. “We are aware that the minister cannot interfere in the independence of justice. But we expect more from him than sterile discussions, she adds. In the absence of being able to act on this file in particular, we expect unfailing support for all of our demands: the creation of a specific status for the police officer under investigation, excluding the provisional detention of an agent acting on mission, magistrates specialized and trained in the use of weapons by law enforcement, functional protection for police officers who are victims or accused. »
“The minister is in his role as the first cop in France when he receives the unions, assures the Renaissance deputy for Val-de-Marne, Mathieu Lefebvre, former chief of staff of Gérald Darmanin in Beauvau. I am not sure that the government is committed to legislative reform to get out of the current framework, but to strengthen functional protections, why not? »
A speaking silence
The Head of State, Emmanuel Macron, was forced to react to the words of Frédéric Veaux, recalling that “no one in the Republic is above the law”. Gérald Darmanin, he remained mute… until today, therefore. Political scientist Bruno Cautrès then underlines “the significant contrast with his usual, very active style of communication”. “We can only deduce that this silence says something,” he adds, before formulating several hypotheses.
Either the Minister of the Interior, “in synergy with the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic, waits for the debate to calm down to make a strong statement”. Either he is “stuck”, with Emmanuel Macron and Elisabeth Borne on one side, and on the other “the unions, and more generally a good part of the police officers, who feel singled out”. Either “he has a more assertive political project than we think”, and he wants “to capitalize on the image of minister in synergy with the police, like his mentor, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the time”.
“Do not rule out that he is in revenge mode”
In the government, some make a direct link between this controversy and the fact that Gérald Darmanin was not appointed to Matignon. “I think he was very offended in terms of ego, analyzes a regular in ministerial offices. Do not exclude that he is in revenge mode, that he wanted to send a message via the DGPN [Frédéric Veaux]. »
The sauce rose very quickly on the weekend of July 14, even though Elisabeth Borne did not seem fundamentally threatened at Matignon. In short, Darmanin finally saw himself there a little quickly. His message has now gone well, says this source. Even a little too much. “It is not overtaken by events, but finally, it has taken proportions perhaps not expected. Because cops growl, as soon as it doesn’t go their way, it’s a fairly recurrent phenomenon. Under these conditions, it suited him well to be in New Caledonia with the president, he could keep silent. »
A position “difficult to maintain”
“We know very well that Darmanin sees a more interesting political suite, so it is currently difficult for him to go against the Macron line. On the other hand, opposing the police is always a bit tricky,” analyzes sociologist Jean-Michel Schlosser, researcher at Cesdip and former judicial police officer. “He knows very well what happened to his predecessor,” he adds. Nobody, place Beauvau, has actually forgotten that in 2020, the unions had mobilized their troops and had the skin of Christophe Castaner in a few days. The Minister of the Interior at the time had hit the police by announcing the abandonment of the choke key during the arrests, and asked “that a suspension be systematically considered for each proven suspicion of racist act or remarks “.
Jean-Michel Schlosser also notes that the Rugby World Cup and the Olympic Games are looming. “All this means that he does not want to alienate the police institution. He finds himself in a situation that is not easy to manage. His position is difficult to maintain. “So, under pressure, the ambitious tenant of Beauvau? “It is a ministry where we are constantly under pressure, recognizes his former collaborator Mathieu Lefebvre. And we can see that the country is quickly in danger, because there, many agents do the minimum service. There is a challenge to emerge from the top of this crisis. But Linda Kebbab assures her: the revolt of the police, who denounce a court decision, is not “a movement of defiance vis-à-vis the minister”. For now, the pressure remains under control.
#Faced #sling #Darmanin #uncovered #necessarily #targeted